- Prior to the ground freezing, remove plants that will not winter over, weeds, and
debris from the garden. If plants are disease free, dispose of in your compost pile (or
start a compost pile)
● Examples of plants that will not winter over include: tomatoes, summer squash,
pumpkin, peas, beans, etc. - Break up (till) top inch to two inches of the soil with tools or by hand. This is
necessary for a few reasons:
● Exposes bugs (especially Japanese Beetle) that like to winter over in the soil,
educes next season soil bound pest issues
● Breaks up compacted soil from season’s watering
● Soil becomes more workable - Inoculate Soil in preparation of winter:
● Utilize necessary amendments & fertilizers for proper soil health.
○ “Feed the Soil” not the plant: apply as soil amendment
■ Microbes & Fungi (process & uptake nutrients, soil health)
■ Humic & Fulvic (transport nutrients & improve uptake), Amino
Acids (overall health)
■ Minerals & Silica (pH balance & nutrient delivery)
○ Great time to add “meals”, manure/castings, compost, cardboard, leaves,
etc. to soil to allow enough time for the organic materials & meals to
breakdown
○ Cover soil with top protective layer of straw, leaves, or a tarp for the
winter
● Test your Soil & utilize Key To Life’s FREE analysis services to help you be more
precise in amending with what your soil exactly needs! - Plant winter cover crops: Next month’s garden topic!
● Cover Crops benefits:
○ balances pH of soil
○ adds nutrition/Nitrogen fixing
○ builds soil/slows erosion
● Varieties: Crimson clover (over winter), Clover (spring time), winter rye
Recommended products for Winterization: Key To Life Uptake, Boost, Microbes, Fungi and Green 9
Preparing Your Garden for the Winter
